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Help me please

Discussion in 'General Instruction [BG]' started by bass_extremes, Nov 18, 2005.

  1. Nov 18, 2005 #1
    bass_extremes

    bass_extremes Guest

    Jul 9, 2005
    Hey everyone, Ive been playing bass for about 6 years now and during the last two people have been asking me to join there bands which is awesome but there one aspect of being in a band I need help with and it is writing bass lines. I approach writing basslines like it says in the book bass guitar for dummies but whenever I write something It always comes out the same my fingers always play the same notes. I want to now when you guys frist started writing was it a struggle to come up with basslines? and after you kept trying did you get better and faster(it takes a while for me to come up with something). I know that you guys cant really tell me whats wrong with this type of thing but if you had a similar problem could you give me some advice and tell me how you got out of this rut?
     
  2. Nov 18, 2005 #2
    Chris A

    Chris A Chemo sucks! In Memoriam

    Feb 25, 2000
    Manchester NH
    The best way to create is to start by emulating. Listen to records and play along with them. Learn covers and licks by players you like and "steal them". Use what you learn in different contexts. If you have a lick that you use to go from G to C, it will work going from E to A, or D to G or whatever. As long as the "distance"(I don't want to use the word interval here, it would imply something different) from the first chord to the second chord is the same in both keys, it will work. Once you build up a reperatoire of "borrowed licks" you can begin modifying them and that should lead you to inventing some of your own.


    Chris A. :rolleyes: :bassist:
     
  3. Nov 23, 2005 #3
    steve66

    steve66

    Sep 17, 2005
    North Carolina
    Sing the bass line (rythmn and pitch) into a tape recorder and try playing it in different keys. I find it easier to first play the rythmn and notes on a keyboard to get a visual of the notes then transfer it to the bass fretboard and figure out the fingering.